Indeed, I thought about too the other day: you have very different numbers in some regions in Italy than you have in most other countries. The obvious thing would be to find out what variables are responsible for this. But no, it's "look at Italy, it so bad! It will be just as bad everywhere else!" The height of irrationality!
The overall Italian mortality rates for the first 2 weeks of March are available now from Sismg. Reminder that these are based on a representative sample of ALL deaths of people over 65 in the biggest cities in all regions, so the current spike is probably greater in some regions, like Lombardy, and smaller in other regions, like in southern Italy (Sismg only records Bergamo province deaths from the cities of Milan and Brescia):


Here's a screenshot:
Screen Shot 2020-03-28 at 10.16.02 PM.png
Note that overall mortality for Italy has been at or below average since late November of last year, and a secondary spike begins first week of March. Here's a chart of daily deaths reported as Covid-related in Italy to compare, from worldometer:
Screen Shot 2020-03-28 at 10.18.47 PM.png

So in the next few weeks we'll be able to compare the Covid spike to the flu spike of 2016/2017.
 
I have been doing a 2:1 ascorbic acid:sodium bicarbonate mix -- making sodium ascorbate. I find it a much more palatable VITC than AA, FWIW, and it brings the PH much closer to neutral (though I don’t have the gear to test exactly how close)
Hi Kris, this is what I do as well and what I recommended for this fellow, but I'm concerned that the sodium bicarbonate will raise his blood pressure if he takes it more then once a day, 2:1. He's daughter said he could add Sweet and Low to it which he takes already, that doesn't sound to healthy!
 
Heard a new term today.

We went out to our local Choices Market, and while standing in line, (on our 2m sticker, of course), the lady in front of me turns around, and says in a quiet voice, 'I know they are calling it a pandemic, but my friends are calling it a 'plandemic'. Of course I had to laugh.

They seem to have a lot of these security guards around now to make sure that everyone is doing things correctly, and of course he comes over, while I am standing on the 2m sticker, that I need to stand on the 2m sticker.

Hello

I felt like Basil Fawlty, 'I'M ALREADY STANDING ON THE BLOODY STICKER!'
 
This is interesting:


Especially the final piece:
But after days of headlines about Russia and China helping where Brussels could not, Italy’s La Stampa newspaper reported Thursday that 80 per cent of the medical help delivered by Russia, which included disinfection equipment, was “useless.” Spain’s Health Ministry, meanwhile, found that test kits donated by China weren’t sensitive enough to detect most coronavirus cases, and decided to return them.
 
It has been really quiet the streets deserted and kind of creepy for the last few days but today when I was walking my dog there were quite a few people out walking around everyone was smiling and a few couples holding hands and it was nice.

Yes, this is what I wanted to report on as well. I've been out at least once a day everyday and there's more of a buzz about town now. Things are far from normal and traffic is still light but people are starting to come out. And they seem happy. It's like the intensity of city life has been put on hold and there's time to enjoy the simple pleasures again. But that's not really what I wanted to talk about. I think people are already reaching their limit on the whole stay at home thing. Maybe the people who are gung ho on 'flattening the curve' TM -might be willing to stay at home for a few more weeks but most everyone else is going to say the hell with this pretty soon. So it will be interesting to see how this unfolds. How far will the authorities go in 'the land of the free' to make people comply?
 
My wish is that very soon small pockets of riots will break out in some countries and rally others sitting on the edge to force some of these leaders to ease up on some of these damned lock down measures. Hopefully these riots will not get too bloody. I have been following stories coming out of the US where people are cleaning out Gun Shops. Guns and ammunition shelf are empty as soon as they are replaced. See related article Panic At The Gun Shop: Coronavirus Fears Cause A Run On Ammo And Firearms

Don't worry, by then TPB will be prepared:

 
An honest add by the Australian Government - Or 'Come In Spinner'. (Australian slang term for 'I can't believe you fell for that' also used in a traditional gambling game called Two-up)

Notice that it is subtitled 'An opinion piece by the Australian Government Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly'.

Sheesh, you'd reckon in his position he'd have the facts. But maybe this is an admission that they are not dealing in facts.

He then goes on to call out all other information as 'opinions' even if it comes from experts!

Then say's:

"No health experts dispute what the problem is nor how to address this outbreak. It’s about saving lives and livelihoods. The only dispute is how hard to go imposing measures, and when to impose them.":jawdrop::pinocchio:


COVID-19 in Australia: we are not Italy, Iran or Spain
An opinion piece by the Australian Government Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly.
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Date published:
28 March 2020
Media event date:
28 March 2020
Media type: Statement
Audience: General public

Our way of life in Australia has changed dramatically in recent weeks – and it will keep changing as we continue to respond to the evolving COVID-19 outbreak.

Governments across the country have imposed tight restrictions on our daily lives to help stop the coronavirus from spreading and reduce people’s exposure to it.

Restrictions have been imposed on the retail sector, and many facilities – for instance pubs, clubs, gyms and cinemas – are no longer permitted to open.

Things that have been fundamental to our way of life are not currently available. Australians have adjusted amazingly with strong evidence of reduced foot traffic, public transport occupancy and many other measures that show we have got the message.

We have imposed strong border measures. International travel has been banned, with a few exceptions. Only Australian citizens, residents and immediate family members can travel to Australia. From tonight (Saturday), all returning travellers will be subject to formal supervised quarantine in a facility, reducing one of the biggest current risks of new infections.

People are also experiencing a barrage of opinions – be they from experts or through social media.

I can understand all of this can be confusing and may be compounding people’s anxiety levels.

Australia is a free country and everyone is entitled to express an opinion. People have different opinions about the best way to combat COVID-19.

Let me be very clear about a couple of points.

No health experts dispute what the problem is nor how to address this outbreak. It’s about saving lives and livelihoods. The only dispute is how hard to go imposing measures, and when to impose them.

And anyone who thinks we can impose restrictions for two or three weeks and then lift them and we can return to our normal lives – free of coronavirus – is misguided.

The risk is COVID-19 would rear its ugly head again, more aggressive than before.

Some people have asked why we haven’t imposed a blanket lockdown like other countries have done.

The answer to this is that unlike countries such as Italy, Spain and Iran, and cities such as Wuhan in China, we have remained ahead of the curve.

By the time health experts in these countries recognised what was occurring , COVID-19 was out of control and spreading like wildfire. This is the reason why hospitals in these countries have struggled to cope with people with severe forms of the disease.

Despite the number of cases rising quite quickly in recent weeks, this is not the case in Australia. And we have reason to be confident we will keep ahead of the curve.

Two-thirds of the cases have been acquired overseas. That’s why we’re redoubling our efforts at our borders and in tracing who these confirmed cases have been in contact with to reduce the spread of the disease.

We have one of the highest rates per population of testing for coronavirus in the world. We have conducted more than 184,000 tests, with less than two per cent returning positive.

Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world – and we are very well prepared for this outbreak.
Our response to the outbreak is flexible and scalable and we are modifying it as the outbreak evolves and we learn more about the virus.

Of course we are concerned about the current small pockets of community transmission, particularly in Sydney. These represent our biggest risk and if there is significant growth in community transmission, additional measures will be immediately implemented to bring about control.

The Commonwealth is working very closely with the states and territories through the National Cabinet and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee to ensure our response is as effective as possible.

We are working very hard to source additional coronavirus tests and ventilators and have supported the primary health care sector by expanding telehealth services to ensure GPs and other health professionals are able to continue consultations with their patients. Already, after only 14 days (as of Saturday), this has led to more than 550,000 consultations.

On top of this, we will soon start taking delivery of more than 400 million additional masks, as well as additional hand sanitiser, goggles, gloves and gowns. These new supplies build on the 3.1 million masks distributed to states and territories over the past week.

Almost 200 fever clinics have now been set up to isolate and care for people diagnosed with COVID-19.
We are well advanced in our planning with the states and territories to deal with an expected surge in demand for the treatment of coronavirus cases – with the number of intensive care unit beds to more than double to meet this demand, if required.

It is important people recognise that governments and health practitioners can only do so much to combat COVID-19. The truth is everyone has a role to play in stopping the spread of this coronavirus.
There are three key things everyone can do.
  • Practise good hygiene. This means thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water, including before and after eating and after going to the toilet. It is vital people cover their coughs and sneezes with their elbow or a tissue – and if it is with a tissue, that the tissue is put straight into a bin.
  • Secondly, all Australians should be practising social distancing. People should remain at home unless it is absolutely vital to go elsewhere, and when in public, keep at least 1.5 metres away from other people.
  • Thirdly, it is imperative that people self-isolate for 14 days if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19, if they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of the coronavirus or if they have arrived in Australia after midnight on 15 March. That means, simply, stay at home.
Realistically, a vaccine for the coronavirus is many months away. In the meantime, Australians can be reassured we are constantly monitoring COVID-19 developments – both domestically and abroad – and adapting what we do to minimise its spread.

I urge all Australians to keep calm, keep informed and keep connected.

As they sometimes say on Australia's got Talent -

Screen Shot 2020-03-29 at 1.22.12 pm.png

Then there's idiots like this on social media ranting away with no context at all:


Medication, medical supplies shortage, Ive a client who needs medical supplies that are getting harder to get, hospital appointments cancelled, he has cancer, hearth condition, diabetic and had a stroke.

Yeah, my mother was having trouble getting her ventalin prescription filled so a friend has given her some.

Can anyone advise what is the best stand in for ventalin should she not be able to fill her prescription after that runs out?
 
I'm a bit surprised of Swedens more normal strategy in all this. For instance, Sweden has long been very cooperating with NATO, and some have suggested that it has a 'secret deal' with NATO since the days of Olof Palme. Plus, Sweden has also dutifully propagated the mandatory Russophobia, and as we know been one of the most liberal countries in the world (open borders etc.).

So, I'm not sure why they now are 'allowed not to follow orders'. Swedish members here maybe have a sharper perspective of what's going on? In the neighboring country, my country Finland, they've been very good boys and girls in the government, implementing a lockdown two weeks ago and doing everything what their masters tell them to (or indirectly via the propaganda).

Anyway, I'm glad about Sweden's strategy, because it will give a good chance to compare the outcomes between countries.
 
I'm a bit surprised of Swedens more normal strategy in all this. For instance, Sweden has long been very cooperating with NATO, and some have suggested that it has a 'secret deal' with NATO since the days of Olof Palme. Plus, Sweden has also dutifully propagated the mandatory Russophobia, and as we know been one of the most liberal countries in the world (open borders etc.).
Yes, this is my impression as well. The cash free society is also more or less already implemented here... Electronic payments have been made super easy and they are everywhere, I haven’t used cash for years. Anyway that gets me thinking... that maybe that’s it? That we are already cash free.
 
This was posted on another group I belong to but I wanted to share it here because I think it illustrates what some people are going through out there who don't have the benefit of this network and all of the good information and perspectives we have here:

Truly heart-wrenching, thank you for sharing. I think these are the the people from group 1 @mabar referred to earlier in this thread. Those with potential, and with a good heart, who lack information and get crushed by all this. Not only do they have to deal with the fascism (no visits etc.) as the rest of us, but also with fear of death and, worse perhaps, fear of killing their loved ones. Let's pray for these people :-(
 
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